...the process of coal mining can actually make flooding worse. Mountaintop removal mining — a widespread technique in West Virginia that involves blasting off the tops of mountains to reach the coal underneath — makes the state more vulnerable to flooding by removing trees and other plants that help hold back the rainwater. Without the help of root systems, soil that becomes wet during extreme precipitation events and flooding can also lead to dangerous mudslides.
There has been no mountain top removal in the area affected. Those practices occur largely in southern WV.
On Saturday, President Obama declared a major disaster for West Virginia and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the counties of Greenbrier, Kanawha and Nicholas.
The flooding is in Southern West Virginia.
Greenbrier County:
At least 26 dead as historic floods sweep West Virginia
Kanawha
Nicholas
I know where the flooding is. I live close by. Been in those areas many times. I also know where the mountain top mining is. It isn't there in any great amount, and wasn't the cause or a significant contributor to the flooding. There was also serious flooding in Covington, VA, Hot Springs, VA and other areas. No mountain top removal at all in those places any more than there is in White Sulfur, WV. The rainfall in those areas approached that experienced in 1985 in this region, and the result for that area is similar. If one is familiar with the topography of those areas, such results can be expected when rainfall reaches the recorded amounts.
I know where the flooding is. I live close by. Been in those areas many times. I also know where the mountain top mining is. It isn't there in any great amount, and wasn't the cause or a significant contributor to the flooding. There was also serious flooding in Covington, VA, Hot Springs, VA and other areas. No mountain top removal at all in those places any more than there is in White Sulfur, WV. The rainfall in those areas approached that experienced in 1985 in this region, and the result for that area is similar. If one is familiar with the topography of those areas, such results can be expected when rainfall reaches the recorded amounts.
For what it's worth, Joe Manchin said mountain top mining isn't a factor also.
It's the hollers.
For what it's worth, Joe Manchin said mountain top mining isn't a factor also.
And he's correct. All a person has to do is go and observe. Misattributing blame because it attempts to advance an environmental cause doesn't help that cause. Someone should tell those folks that. There are plenty of reasons to dislike mountain top mining. This event isn't one of them because in this instance it wasn't the cause or significant contributor.
MTR is all over that area.
I won't claim to know anything about MTM but I do know very few real or imagined opportunities to propagandize natural events will escape the environmental crowd steeped in politics.
Those little trees are cute. They don't indicate anything of the extent of such practices. The simple fact is that there is relatively little of the mountain top coal layering in the areas affected by the flood. Those areas where significant mountain top removal occurs are further to the south. In that area, the mining could produce the claimed effect, but not where the flooding occurred. I always enjoy people telling me all about the region in which I live who've never actually been there or live there themselves. So tell me exactly how this mountain top removal affected White Sulphur, WV, Hot Springs, VA and Covington VA and other areas along the VA- WV border that were affected by this flood, realizing that they don't even share the same watershed and where there is absolutely no mountain top mining at all. I'm all ears.
The flooding in those areas was not nearly as severe as in the three counties mentioned. And, all of those are right in the heart of MTR country.
It is. The vast majority of the mountain top removal is in the far south of the state. That's not to say there isn't some in those areas, but we have a history to refer to which pretty clearly demonstrates that while that kind of mining is destructive, it isn't the contributor in this case many claim. Mountain top removal is an environmental pariah, but it didn't cause this flooding, and it doesn't cause tooth decay either. The rain and topography caused the flooding.
I know where the flooding is. I live close by. Been in those areas many times. I also know where the mountain top mining is. It isn't there in any great amount, and wasn't the cause or a significant contributor to the flooding. There was also serious flooding in Covington, VA, Hot Springs, VA and other areas. No mountain top removal at all in those places any more than there is in White Sulfur, WV. The rainfall in those areas approached that experienced in 1985 in this region, and the result for that area is similar. If one is familiar with the topography of those areas, such results can be expected when rainfall reaches the recorded amounts.
So far all I hear in the news about the WVA flooding is that it's due to lots of rain. But, what really lies beneath the damage, death and injuries is mountain top removal. Very few media outlets--none on the Right--seem to be addressing that as of yet. You have to look way Left to see even a brief mention of this underlying culprit. But, they are more apt to blame GlowBall warming.
The Majority Of West Virginia Is Under A State Of Emergency After Floods Devastate The State | ThinkProgress
There has been no mountain top removal in the area affected. Those practices occur largely in southern WV.
So this is the worst flooding in 100 years. Meaning that around 101 years ago there was a worse flood. But now it's coal mining's fault. Coincidentally coal mining elimination is an issue Hillary is going to have to address in the next 6 months. Coincidence?
Coal mining has been around WVA since the 1700's. In the meantime floods in WVA have come and gone. MTM has been around for a while without causing floods for a hundred years. Why this year?
Think Progress telling you how to think...
If it's the worse in 100 years, then how is topping imaginary mountains the cause? Doesn't this mean 100 years ago, there was a worse one yot? Did we start topping mountains over 100 years ago?
Land use changes are definitely the cause of more flooding in the USA. We diminish the area of land which reduced the amount of water the land can hold. Much of this water would normally be used by plants that no longer exist where roads, building, etc. are now. They would normally shed their water through transpiration which also cools the air in the process. This water is now channeled through storm sewers which increase the flow demand of rivers, streams, etc. Once this flow capacity is limited below the rate of flow, we have flooding. It doesn't help that most bridges have also reduced the flow capacities.
Why do you even bother bringing up such tripe?
Climate scientists predict that as warmer temperatures allow more moisture to stay in the atmosphere, this can lead to more intense downpours.
Now this is a given. There is more moisture built up that can cause more precipitation when released. It's a pretty small change however, and is both natural and unnatural. Anyone doing any decent research on the topic realizes land use is a serious issue for changing the way precipitated water acts.
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